Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou says he should take the blame for Spurs’ defensive woes as they lost their opening game under him to West Ham.
Spurs went down 3-2 to the Hammers in Perth, with Gianluca Scamacca scoring the winner after Tottenham had come back from two goals down.
Tottenham looked good going forward and they had 30 shots on goal during the 90 minutes as Giovani Lo Celso and Destiny Udogie found the net.
But they were undone defensively and conceded two goals shortly after set-pieces in the first-half, as Danny Ings and Divin Mubuma struck.
“The goals we conceded are partly on me - we haven’t done loads of work on those kind of defensive areas and structures around set-pieces and stuff,” said Postecoglou.
“I can’t expect the guys to take everything on board. I thought for the most part defensively the pressure was really good and we didn’t allow too many chances as you said.
“But we don’t want to be conceding goals with them producing a small number of chances.
“But that’s not the sort of stuff worked on. There are still things in our structure where we could have moved the ball quicker and guys aren’t in exactly the position they need to be.
“And there are a few things we need to keep developing, as is only natural as they get fitter to play this kind of football. We’re still in the early stages. At the same time we only have three or so weeks to get ready for the first game so we’re working hard.”
Tottenham created plenty of chances in this first game under Postecoglou, living up to the Australian’s brand of attacking football.
Harry Kane, however, had a quiet first-half and was taken off at the break with the whole of the team that started the match. Fellow striker Richarlison didn’t fair much better after the interval, hitting the post and missing a good headed chance late on.
“If we keep creating those kind of chances I have no doubt that they will finish them,” said Postecoglou.
“They’re both quality strikers. For me the outcomes become secondary right now. How we’re playing our football, what kind of tempo we’re playing at, our structures are much more important than the outcomes.
“Obviously there were some positive things, not all positive but certainly enough there to at least from my perspective say that the boys are willing, are trying, to change the way we play.”
